Mill and Amazon Collaborate to Revolutionize Food Waste Management at Whole Foods
In a groundbreaking initiative, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has announced a partnership with Mill Industries Inc. to revolutionize food waste management at Whole Foods Market stores. This collaboration introduces an industry-first innovation aimed at effectively reducing food waste in grocery operations. With the deployment of Mill Commercial, a high-capacity automated food recycling system, Whole Foods Market is set to transform fruit and vegetable scraps generated in their back-of-house operations into nutrient-rich ingredients for chicken feed.
The partnership begins in 2027, with Mill's innovative technology processing food scraps and converting them into a valuable resource for Whole Foods Market's private-label egg suppliers. This groundbreaking system marks the first real-time food waste conversion technology in the grocery industry, which promises to reshape how food waste is perceived and managed.
By turning what has typically been considered waste into a valuable feedstock, this collaboration sets a high standard for sustainability within the grocery sector. Whole Foods Market's operations will benefit significantly from using Mill Commercial technology, which not only minimizes food waste but also creates a circular supply chain that brings benefits to suppliers, customers, and the environment.
Mill, founded in 2020 by tech innovators Matt Rogers and Harry Tannenbaum, is at the forefront of waste prevention technology. Their pioneering work includes applying their extensive knowledge from developing smart home products, like the Nest Learning Thermostat, to create solutions that mitigate waste starting in the kitchen. The firm has received an investment from Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund to further enhance its capabilities and roll out their technology at a commercial scale.
The Mill Commercial system can automatically assess and measure fruit and vegetable waste, enabling smarter inventory and ordering decisions. It boasts advanced dehydration capabilities that can decrease the volume of waste by an impressive 80%, significantly simplifying the operational logistics for Whole Foods Market. Such advancements will lower transportation costs associated with food waste management and enhance food safety across the supply chain.
Jason Buechel, VP of Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores and CEO of Whole Foods Market, voiced his enthusiasm regarding this collaboration, emphasizing the potential it has to not only minimize waste but also to create a holistic and more efficient supply chain. He noted, "This first-of-its-kind collaboration enables us to minimize waste while building a more circular supply chain that benefits our customers, communities, and environment."
By integrating artificial intelligence, Mill Commercial allows businesses to track and analyze real-time food waste data. This includes insights on what items are most frequently discarded, the quantity, and the most effective reuse methods. The goal is to allow grocery and food service operations to become more strategic and efficient, thus reimagining food waste as a resource, rather than a burden.
Matt Rogers, the CEO of Mill, highlighted the vital role their technology plays in managing commercial-scale food waste. He stated: "Until now, there has been no advanced technology solution to tackle the problem of food waste at a commercial scale. With Mill Commercial, we are combining our innovative hardware with data and insights powered by AI to make it easier to dramatically reduce food waste in the grocery sector and beyond, turning what was 'waste' into a resource we can use."
The collaboration with Amazon will allow Mill to set a new precedent for food sustainability practices while delivering operational advantages in addition to the environmental benefits. Thomas Selby, an investor at the Amazon Climate Pledge Fund, remarked on the excitement around investing in Mill, noting that it supports the development and deployment of their innovative technology.
Whole Foods Market continues to lead the charge in promoting sustainable grocery shopping practices as a vital part of their mission to nourish people and the planet. This partnership is a significant step toward their ambitious goal of halving food waste by 2030. With these advancements, Mill and Amazon are working together to pioneer a future where food waste is significantly reduced, creating better outcomes for all involved – from the suppliers to the end customers.